Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has criticized Greece’s planned cooperation with Israel on a new air defense system, arguing that the project could shift the military balance in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean and calling on Ankara to respond through diplomatic channels.
Yankı Bağcıoğlu, the CHP’s deputy chairman for defense affairs, said Greece’s reported plan to build a multi-layered air defense network with Israeli support should be viewed as more than a military procurement program.
“The agreement between Greece and Israel for an air defense system worth approximately €4 billion should be regarded not only as a military issue, but also as one that raises concerns under international law,” Bağcıoğlu said.
His comments come as defense cooperation between Greece and Israel has expanded in recent years through joint military exercises, defense technology projects and broader strategic ties.
Bağcıoğlu said advanced radar systems expected to be integrated into Greece’s future air defense architecture could enhance surveillance across much of the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, including areas close to Turkey’s western coast. He argued that such capabilities would significantly improve Greece’s operational awareness during both peacetime and crises.
He also expressed concern that Israeli-made defense systems deployed in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus could become increasingly integrated, strengthening trilateral cooperation in early warning, intelligence sharing and operational coordination.
Turkey has repeatedly criticized the growing strategic partnership between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, viewing it as a regional alignment that excludes Ankara.
Bağcıoğlu also reiterated Turkey’s longstanding position that the military presence on several Greek islands in the eastern Aegean violates the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris. He urged the Turkish government to pursue diplomatic initiatives in international forums to challenge what he described as treaty violations.
Greece rejects Turkey’s interpretation of the treaties, maintaining that the defensive deployment on its islands is lawful and necessary in light of Turkey’s military presence along its Aegean coast, including the Aegean Army, and Ankara’s longstanding declaration that any extension of Greek territorial waters beyond six nautical miles would constitute a casus belli.
The planned air defense project has not been formally announced in full by the Greek government, but Athens has said it is seeking to modernize its integrated air and missile defense capabilities to address evolving regional security challenges.